


We Are One

by Fandoms_Ruin_Life



Series: The Untold Stories [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Child Abuse, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I am not going to write Snape in a good light, James Potter Has Anxiety, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), PETER PETTIGREW EXISTS, Severus Snape Bashing, So I don't want any comments about that aspect, The Marauders First Year, The Marauders Year One, The Potter family are the best, This is your warning now, Will Moderate Comments If Neccessary, all the emotions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 07:00:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23847088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandoms_Ruin_Life/pseuds/Fandoms_Ruin_Life
Summary: The Marauders face the start of their new lives. Bonds will be formed, and tears will be shed. After all, when is life at Hogwarts ever normal?---The Marauders First Year*part of a chronological series, but can be read as a stand-alone*
Relationships: Peter Pettigrew & James Potter, Remus Lupin & James Potter, Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black & James Potter, Sirius Black & Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter
Series: The Untold Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718398
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	1. 6th September, 1971

**Author's Note:**

> PSA: James' anxiety is based off of mine, so please don't come at me in the comments if it doesn't match what your experiences or expectations of anxiety should be. Adding this to such a strong character is kind of cathartic for me, so if you are going to criticise anything (please don't, this is just for fun!), please leave that out of it. Thank you. :)

It was finally here, the day that Sirius had been dreaming of for what seemed like an age. 

The first day of his new life was finally beginning and absolutely nothing could disrupt the happiness he feels. Not even the demons that called themselves his parents nor the snitch he had of a brother could bring his mood down today. There was positively nothing that could make this moment as bleak as it were at home, for as soon as the Hogwarts Express arrived, he was finally free. Free from the discomfort that always arose when he was around his family. Free from the dreary despair that was Grimmauld Place.

Even standing upon the platform was an uncomfortable experience, and as the minutes progressed, Sirius was continuously reminded why his imminent freedom was so appealing. His parents made their disdain for the common folk clear, switching between scowling at all of the happy families and smirking at the ones who showed visible sadness about their child leaving. It was an unsettling experience, and one which was only heightened by bruising grip his mother had upon his arm.

_Still_ , Sirius thought as he fought to keep his face devoid of all emotion, _at least they can't do anything too outrageous in public_. As long as he kept his face calm, nothing they could do would ruin his day. Emotions were a weakness in his parents’ eyes, and revealing his true feelings would never end well- no matter where they were.

Sirius had long since stopped arguing that scowls and smirks did count as emotional actions; the consequences to pointing out his parents’ flaws were never something to look forward to.

Today wasn't the first time that Sirius longed to have been born in a different family, but it was the day that hit the hardest. Seeing all of these parents who visibly showed love and care towards their children put his situation in a stark contrast. He knew that his family were fucked up, but he had never really known how far.

It turned out that growing up within a community of dark wizards really warped your perspective of reality.

After what seemed like an age, but in reality, was only five minutes (his parents never wanted to mix with the 'impure' any longer than they had to) the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. Never before had the colour red or the smell of fuel been so welcoming, thought Sirius, as he pulled his arm out of his mother's too-tight grip. He grabbed his case from his father and then practically legged it towards the train. He knew that come Christmas he would be paying for such an action, but in that moment, Sirius found that he couldn't care less. The bright red carriages signalled his freedom, and nothing would stop him from reaching them.

Sirius had managed to make it about halfway to the carriage doors, the task surprisingly hard what with all the people he needed to avoid, before crashing into someone headed in the opposite direction to him.

Looking at who he hit, Sirius cringed before exclaiming, "sorry!" Not only had he managed to bump into them, but he had also managed to knock them onto the floor.

"No problem," they replied, gratefully grasping his offered hand to stand up again, "it's so crowded here. I'm surprised that it hasn't happened sooner.” They straightened up, and the two now stood eye-to-eye. “I'm Lily, by the way, are you a first year too?"

"Yeah. I really am sorry about that though, my name's Sirius." He smiled apologetically, thankful that he hadn't completely messed up his first interaction with another student.

"Honestly, it's fine." She said, her green eyes were warm and kind, and to his surprise, Sirius found that he trusted her. "It's half my fault anyway, I was rushing too. I had promised to meet someone on the station, but traffic was really bad today so I'm a bit late."

A brief spark of fear crashed over Sirius upon hearing that. If her family had chosen to travel to the station without using magical means, she was likely muggle born. His family would have his head if he were seen talking to her! But he forced himself to relax; this wasn't Grimmauld Place. He wouldn't be punished for this. He was his own person now and allowed to talk to whomever he wanted. His family couldn't control him here and he was damned if he was letting them ruin his first chance at friendship.

"I'm sorry I'm keeping you even longer then, they're probably wondering where you are."

"Dude," she laughed, "it's fine. Not everything is your fault. But you're right, I should go find him." She looked around, trying to spot whoever she had been attempting to reach. After a beat, she perked up and waved across the crowd to a dark-haired figure before turning back to Sirius with a smile. "It was nice meeting you! Maybe we will be in the same house?"

"Maybe." Sirius said, returning her smile. He knew it was highly unlikely, but the conversation had been so nice. He didn't want to ruin it by breaking the news to her about his family's long Slytherin membership that even the nicest of people couldn't break. If Andromeda and his Uncle Alphard had been Slytherins, then he had no chance at breaking the tradition.

Lily grinned and gave him a quick hug before disappearing once more into the crowd. Sirius stared after her not knowing what to make of that interaction. It was the first time in a long time that he had been touched without any malicious intent, and certainly the first time that he had been told that something wasn't his fault.

Usually _everything_ was his fault.

He stood there for a moment, before realising that if he wanted to avoid sitting with his family and their friends, he had to find a cabin quickly. Shaking out of his stupor, he continued weaving his way through the platform (much more carefully this time) and onto the train.

As he had feared, by now most of the cabins were inhabited and the one's that weren't were reserved with a couple of suitcases. Determined to find at least one semi-empty cabin, Sirius made his way to the middle of the train, hoping that most would start at the front or back. However, despite his plan, there were still no empty cabins in sight.

Just as he was about to give up and resign himself to a journey with his family and their friends, he spotted an almost empty cabin- its only resident being what appeared to be a fellow first-year boy. Sighing in relief, he poked his head in and prayed that the other wasn't just reserving the spot for his friends.

* * *

Remus had been enjoying the peace the solitude of the compartment had given him. He had arrived much earlier than he had needed to, and consequently managed to be one of the first people to board the train. As such, he had managed to find an empty cabin with ease, and had settled in for a long journey on his lonesome.

Remus had long ago resigned himself to the fact that he would probably not gain many friends during his time at Hogwarts. He was never the most social of people to begin with, and found making friends hard at the best of times. But now, adding in the fact that he was a werewolf going to a wizarding school, he wasn't sure whether the hassle would be worth it. It was a lot harder to hide something that affected you every month from friends than acquaintances.

His parents had agreed with him, and though it had been his idea, their acceptance of it had hurt. Remus knew that his parents were worried about what would happen if anyone ever found out about his Big Secret, and he was too. But that didn't stop the hurt he felt when his parents had agreed that being on his own throughout his entire school experience was a reasonable sacrifice.

That hurt was soothed slightly when his mother had noticed and had assured him that they would of course support any decision he made. Before he had boarded the train, his father too had taken him aside and promised him that any friends he did feel like making would always be welcome in their home. It was a difficult situation, and Remus couldn't fault them for being concerned. Deep down, he knew that they were just out of their depth and trying to support him. He also knew that it was inevitable that they were going to make mistakes. 

This was just one of them. 

And still, despite the hurt he felt at his parents supporting the idea of him not making any true connections, he knew still that it would be the plan that he would follow. If he were being honest with himself, he had broached the idea to them in hope that they would have found a more desirable solution. In all honesty, it was the confirmation that this curse would continue to affect him which hurt the most, and he couldn't resent them for not having an easy solve.

Now though, it seemed as though his earlier resolve was going to be tested. Another first year had poked his head through the cabin door and had asked if he was able to join. Initially, Remus had been wary, but after a couple of minutes of awkward silence, the other had broken the ice and the prospect of friendship no longer seemed so daunting. It was now starting to seem like something worth fighting for.

The other boy, Sirius, as he had introduced himself, seemed friendly and open about discussing present-day-Hogwarts. Remus himself only had knowledge of his father's time at the school, but Sirius had extended family currently enrolled, so it was nice to hear about what the current day was like. It was clear, however, that there was a major topic Sirius was avoiding.

Feeling a sudden burst of bravery, Remus decided to broach it. 

"Which house do you think you will be in?" He asked, though regretted it almost instantly, however, for Sirius' previously joyous expression transformed into one more melancholy. "Sorry. You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

Sirius sighed, "You've heard of the Black family, right?"

Remus nodded, wary, but now starting to see where this was going.

"Well, here's one of them!" Sirius confirmed, a false enthusiasm infecting his tone as he gestured to himself almost angrily.

"Ah."

Remus wasn't too sure about what to say about that. He knew that the Black family were notoriously dark wizards, but Sirius had shown him nothing but kindness and had there had been no disgust on his face when Remus had revealed his half-blood status.

He must have strayed within his thoughts too long, however, for Sirius smiled a sad smile and asked, "I can leave, if you want?"

"No!" Remus exclaimed, though may have been a bit too loud if the startled look on the other boy's face was any indication. "No." He repeated a bit softer, but no less genuine. 

Though he had just met the other boy, he could see this becoming a good friendship and didn't want to ruin that due to a lack of communication so early on. "It's fine, I just wasn't expecting…" He trailed off, not knowing how to finish the sentence without offending Sirius or his family.

Sirius smiled wryly, knowing what the other was avoiding. "It's fine. I know what impression my family gives off, and for the most part it's true. That's why I was avoiding the subject of houses, even the nice ones in my family are put into Slytherin and it's almost certain that you won't be."

"That doesn't matter though!" Remus said. He had entered the train thinking that it would be better for everyone if he did not form any friendships, but now he had a taste of it, there was no way that he would be letting this go. "We can still be friends if we are in different houses. And who's to say that you won't be the first to break the tradition?"

"Yeah, maybe." Sirius said, though didn't seem convinced. Despite wanting to argue his point, Remus decided to leave it. This was a non-issue anyway until they actually got sorted, so Remus decided to move the conversation onto more pleasant topics. There was no reason to ruin the mood of the rest of the journey.

"What class are you most looking forward to then? I've always had an interest in Potions even though I suck at actually making them."

"Probably Defence. Though Potions sound cool too." Sirius replied, his gratitude clearly conveyed through his eyes.

Remus mentally patted himself on the back, before continuing the conversation. Maybe this whole friendship stuff wouldn't be as hard as he thought it would be.

* * *

James was so glad that calming draughts existed, or else this would have been the day from hell.

As it were, his anxiety was still threatening to ruin the excitement he was feeling about starting this new journey. But luckily things had been rather uneventful so the draught could work to its full potential without any outside hindrances. By this point in life, he had learnt some helpful tricks in order to help manage change, but that didn't mean it was ever going to be easy.

Across from him in the cabin was Peter, and it definitely helped knowing that there was someone who would be by his side for the whole journey. He didn't know how he would have coped with the journey if he had no one to talk and relate his experiences to.

A few weeks ago now, under the advice of his parents, he had sent an owl to Peter. The other boy had been a distant family friend, and James vaguely knew the other boy from a few parties. James was never forced to go to too many of the gatherings though, so they had never had the opportunity to bond before now. Sending that owl had been the best thing he had done yet, and for what felt like the thousandth time, he felt grateful that his parents were so supportive and helpful.

The ice had already been broken between the two boys, and a relationship ready-formed. It was such a relief to have a system in place which meant that the only real nerves James felt about making friendships was whether the conversation would come as easy as it did in the letters. 

Having just one person being a certainty made all the difference.

And as it turned out, the conversation came even easier in person. It was so much better not having to try to gauge the others emotions through letters and with the basic "getting to know you" questions already out of the way, the conversation flowed easily.

"I'm serious!" Peter was saying, his short arms flailing in the air as he made his point, "the only reason they force us on this long-ass train journey is to help the new students meet each other!"

"Well why do they force the older students on this journey too, then?"

"So they can have their summer catch up before school starts! I'm telling you, it's genius!"

James couldn't help the grin that covered his whole face. Peter was surprisingly easy to get along with, and his earnest way of talking was quite endearing. He hoped that they would end up in the same house, he could see a lot of fun in their future if they became roommates.

"It seems like a drain on resources for them, if that is the only reason."

* * *

"What do you mean?" Peter asked. 

He liked James. The other boy was very intelligent, much more so than Peter himself, but he never made him feel like an idiot. James never shot down his more insane ideas, and even if something was clearly wrong, he never once sounded condescending when he corrected him.

"Just think about all the concealment charms which need to be in place just for the station to exist. Never mind the whole journey which needs to take place in secret so that the Muggles don't see a random train that they can't place to any one station."

"I didn’t think about that." Peter said, the disappointment clear in his voice despite trying to hide it. This was one conspiracy theory that he had wished to be true. It was such a cool idea, and it made the school seem much more welcoming if they had a system like that in place just for the students.

"It could still be a secondary reason?" James offered, and Peter couldn’t stop the smile he directed at his new friend. Despite knowing him primarily from letters at this point, the kindness of the other boy had always been apparent. It was honestly the main reason why Peter had responded to the first letter. He didn't usually make a habit of replying to people he didn't know very well, but he could sense James' good intentions and couldn't help but be pulled into it. James' aura was magnetic, and Peter wasn't ashamed to admit that he idolised the other boy a little bit.

Not in a crush sort of way. Though he was still young and had only had minor crushes so far, Peter was fairly certain that he was straight. But idolisation in more of a 'I want to be him' kind of way. James was so intelligent, kind, and it was clear that he was going to grow into his looks and become very handsome along the way.

It wasn't fair that James appeared so perfect, yet Peter found that he couldn't even truly be jealous of him. He could see James' friendship becoming one of the best things that ever happened to him, and Peter was so relieved that James had sent that letter.

They still had hours before they reached Hogwarts, and the sorting ceremony would take place. But Peter was determined to get into Gryffindor. It was clear that James would be placed there, despite his arguments on the contrary due to his anxiety. 

If James wasn't a Gryffindor, who the hell would be? 

Sending that letter to Peter was a huge act of bravery, even if James didn't view it as such, and Peter was damned if he wasn't going to be in the same house as James.

"How much longer do you think this journey is gonna be?" Peter questioned. He had never been great with sitting still for long, and his determination over the sorting had just heightened his need to reach to castle as quickly as possible.

* * *

"At least a couple more hours yet." James replied apologetically. Though he usually had no trouble sitting still, provided he had a good reason to, his anxiety was starting to rear up again. He knew that it would only fully settle to his normal levels once he had been sorted and had met his new roommates, so he understood Peter's desire for the journey to end. They needed a distraction, and James just hoped that Peter had some ideas because his mind was blank.

"You know any games we could play? I didn't bring anything with me, unfortunately."

Peter thought about it for a while, before brightening, "do you know how to play 'Fives'?"

James shook his head, so Peter explained. "It's a word game, so we don't need anything other than something to write with and a timer. You basically just choose five random categories like 'boys names' and then get a random letter. You then have five minutes to name five things in each category that start with that letter. It's a really good distraction, to be honest. My mum used to use it on me all the time for journeys when I was younger."

James couldn't think of anything else to do so he agreed, pulling out a notebook and a Muggle pen his mother had bought for him a while back. Though she was Pureblood, she was never opposed to incorporating Muggle items into her life that were easier to use than their magical equivalents. She had passed down that way of thinking to James, which resulted him in bringing a pack of Muggle stationary with him alongside the mandated Wizarding equipment. 

The easy acceptance and use of Muggle items were one of the many reasons why the Potters were so disliked by some of the more pure-blood idealist families, but James honestly couldn't see the issue with it. If it made their lives easier, why wouldn't they use it? He was never going to understand the prejudiced thinking of the pure-blood circles, some of those people were insane.

James then offered a spare pen to Peter, who looked at it like it was a rare and wondrous item and though he tried, James couldn't hide his amusement at that. Pens were one of the more common Muggle items within the Potter household, and due to this, the presence of such an item seemed normal to him. He had almost forgotten how some other non-prejudiced Pureblood wizards reacted to Muggle items and how fun it was to present them with something so normal that they viewed as unusual.

Peter quickly adjusted, however, and soon they were choosing their categories and counting down the seconds with James' watch. It was fun and Peter's promise that the game killed time turned out to be true. The rest of the journey passed swiftly, with harder and harder categories being chosen. And before they knew it, it was time to start changing into their school robes and start preparing for their arrival to the castle.

It was almost time for their fates to be decided via sorting hat, and James was more than ready for the adventure to begin.


	2. 6th September, 1971

A dark sky greeted the students as they disembarked from the train. It was a mild night, something that Sirius was eternally grateful for when it was revealed that they would be reaching the castle via boat. For as much as he enjoyed a good storm, he couldn't imagine how terrible the journey would have been had it been a rainy night.

Spotting Lily through the dense crowd of students, he grabbed Remus and dragged him over to her. If he was going to be stuck in a boat with two other people, he was at least going to spend it with someone he sort of already knew. 

"Hey, Lily!" Sirius called, his grip on Remus loosening when they reached her. 

"Sirius!" Lily smiled in welcome. She was standing next to a tall, black-haired boy. Evidently, she had found the friend she had been trying to find at the station. "Do you and your friend want to join us?"

Sirius grinned, glad that she had made the offer for him. Though he had been sure she wouldn't have minded, he had felt a little uncomfortable at the idea of inviting himself into her boat. 

"Please." He said in answer, and clambered into the small boat. He and Remus sat across from the other pair, and all four of them sat in silence for a moment. Not willing to let this be awkward, and seeing that Remus wasn't about to start introductions, he took the initiative. 

"This shy git next to me is Remus, by the way." He nudged the boy next to him as he said it, him and Lily bursting into laughter when Remus glared at him. Remus looked about as threatening as a puppy, and for some reason they found it the funniest thing in the world. 

Well he and Lily did, as judging by the sour look Lily’s friend’s face, he didn’t find the situation quite as amusing. 

To be fair, Sirius didn’t understand why it was so funny either- Remus was just glaring at them after all! But he wasn’t about to question it, as the previous near-awkward atmosphere had now disappeared. 

It was nice how a good laugh could just clear the air like that.

After a couple of minutes, the laughter started to fade and a calmer air surrounded the boat. Sirius knew that some of the students in the nearby boats were giving them strange looks but he didn’t care. It wasn’t his fault that they weren’t having as much fun as they were. 

A moment of comfortable silence passed, a marked difference to the earlier uncomfortable one. Lily then started, as if remembering why everything kicked off in the first place. 

“It’s definitely nice to meet you, Remus."

* * *

Despite the laughter from the pair, Remus was tense. 

His earlier resolve that making friends would be easy was crashing down around him. Being presented to two new people so quickly had his previous reservations towards getting to know others flaring up in full force.

Still, Lily seemed nice and he wasn't about to look like a dick in front of his new friend. Especially since none of them knew that he had a valid reason to be wary against meeting new people. It also wasn't as though he ever had to speak to her again anyway, he didn’t have to make a commitment right now. 

He could be nice without making friends. 

Remus ignored the little voice in his head that told him that he was just allowing fear to dictate his life. _You let Sirius in, why stop there?_

Realistically, he knew that he wasn't truly making any sense. That as soon as he started getting to know people, these fears would decrease or at least seem less important. They had done so on the train; it was just the fear of the unknown.

But that didn't seem to matter to the larger part of his brain which was currently screaming at him to not let people get too close. _The more people you let in, the more people you are just setting up to scare off._

He forced himself to murmur a small "hey," though, pleased when Lily smiled and seemed to take his quiet nature as natural shyness. The boy who sat with her also didn't speak much, even when she nudged him and forced him to introduce himself as "Severus." 

It seemed as though she was used to quiet people, which was definitely working in his favour right now, as the rest of the boat ride passed smoothly. Though Lily and Sirius did talk a little bit more, neither tried to drag their friend into the conversation with them. 

They both seemed to understand that although they were ready to talk and make nice with more than one person, their friends were not. And after a few minutes, they both ended up conversing mainly with their quieter counterparts so as not to leave them out.

Or at least they did before the castle came into view. All conversation came to a halt, as every one of the new students drank in the sight of the castle.

It truly was an impressive structure, and Remus was stunned. He had seen pictures, and artistic depictions of the school, but nothing even came close to the real thing. 

The castle demanded attention, and everyone gladly gave it. 

For the remainder of the boat ride, all gazes were locked upon the colossal structure. A feeling of both awe and comfort filled Remus, and he just wished that he were able to capture this feeling forever. 

At that moment, not even the wolf bothered him, all he knew was warmth.

However, all too soon, the boats were docking and looking up at the castle became too uncomfortable lest they hurt their necks. The warmth disappeared, and the mild night seemed much colder in its absence. 

Remus found that he couldn't be disappointed for too long though, for as soon as Hagrid had checked that everything was in order, the climb up the steep staircase commenced. 

They would soon be arriving at their new home, and Remus just hoped that he felt the same comfort when within those walls.

* * *

James was exhausted. 

He had initially thought that his anxiety would have been his biggest stumbling block on this day, but no. Even his worries were taking a backburner for the moment, as all of his focus was upon placing one foot in front of the other. The sheer number of steps in front of them really put the height of the castle and cliff it perched upon into perspective. 

He was grateful that this climb would not be a common activity.

Looking to his side, James could tell that Peter was having just as much difficulty as he was, if not more. For where James was fit due to a large interest in Quidditch, Peter was never much one for sport. His, and all the other like-minded students lack of fitness was really showing, and James swiftly found himself towards the back of the crowd, keeping a flagging Peter company. 

Still, they were almost there now and the doors of the castle were coming into view. Excitement was building within all the students once more, and the nerves came back in full force. 

As they approached the entrance, the doors to the castle opened with a surprising lack of sound, and out of them came the most imposing looking woman James had ever seen.

Her face was stern, and though you could see kindness in her eyes, you could tell that she was someone who took no nonsense. James could already tell that she was not someone who demanded respect, rather she was someone who the majority of people granted it to willingly. 

"Welcome new students," she started, her voice matching her appearance perfectly, "my name is Professor McGonagall and I am the Deputy Headmistress. I am also the head of Gryffindor House, which will soon become very important to some of you."

She paused and scanned all of their faces, once she was satisfied that they were all paying enough attention she continued. "Soon, you will be entering the Great Hall in order to be sorted. There are four houses, and each one has its merits. 

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. 

I will be expecting you to treat your new house like a family, and to strive to earn points for said family. These can be earnt through hard work and good behaviour. But be warned, any rule breaking will lose you those points. This will all culminate at the end of the year towards the house cup. 

It is a time-honoured tradition and I will be expecting you to take this system seriously."

She paused once more to let the information sink in and though he already knew most of this, James kept his focus upon her. McGonagall looked like the type of person who would know if you let your attention stray even for a second, and James didn't want to get on her bad side just yet. 

Not for a stupid reason like this anyway.

"Now, any questions before we go in?" 

No one moved or made a sound, so she turned on her heel and lead them through the entrance. They passed some large doors which, from the sound coming from behind them, appeared to lead to the Great Hall. And instead, she directed them into a dimly lit room around the corner. 

"Whilst I leave to ensure that everything is set-up and ready for you in the Great Hall, I will be requiring you to remain here." She said, her tone so matter-of-fact that James couldn't help but wonder just how many of these sortings she had done. It must have been quite a few, because he could tell that she had gotten it down to an efficient art-form. 

If he weren't currently so anxious, he would actually be quite impressed.

McGonagall's second speech was shorter, and after a warning to tidy themselves up as best as possible and a reminder to be on their best behaviour, she left the room and closed the door behind her. The lighting was dim within the crowded space, and it was hard to see anything of note. 

It left a very uneasy feeling within his stomach.

Suddenly, he felt something grab onto his arm. A glance to the side told him it was just Peter, who looked about as nervous as James felt, but the anxiety from the sudden contact didn't leave him. If anything, it just seemed to culminate on top of the anxious feelings already residing within him. 

James has had difficulty standing in crowds before, but contact has never had such an adverse effect on him prior to this. It was strange, and James just hoped it wasn't something that was developing. He would much rather it be just a result of a stressful day and nothing more. 

He allowed Peter to keep the contact though. If this was helping him, then far be it for James to remove such an anchor in an already stressful situation. Especially since this was low on the ladder of things that were truly keeping his bow strung tight. 

This waiting game felt like some cruel and unusual punishment, and James' wasn't sure of the purpose of it. Sure, the staff had to ensure that all the returning students had arrived, but surely there was some other location more fitting than what appeared to be a large storage cupboard. 

An empty classroom perhaps? With lighting that actually worked? 

It was definitely an unsettling atmosphere, and James could tell that his sentiments were shared with everyone else- it wasn't just his anxiety making him overthink things this time. 

Wary glances kept flitting around the dim room, as if expecting something to come through and kill them. There was no talk, other than the occasional low murmur to ask what the time was. Each second felt like a minute and it was almost a relief when McGonagall's imposing figure returned to usher them towards the hall.

No one had any idea exactly how they would be sorted, but James would take pretty much anything over having to stand in that room for another ten minutes.

* * *

"Black, Sirius."

Sirius couldn't help but glance at the Slytherin table when he heard his name being called. 

The students there who were connected to his family were all giving him threatening looks and Sirius felt his heart drop. Though he had expected it, it still hurt that no one there cared about his own views or hopes. 

It was Slytherin or death to them.

Steeling himself, he turned his gaze back towards the hat which was going to sort them. It was a ratty, old thing and its’ unthreatening appearance did wonders for any nerves about the process people may have had. 

Sirius then made his way up towards the stool, Remus giving him an encouraging pat on the back as he left. He could still feel the lingering warmth from the brief contact as he sat down, and the other boy's words from earlier echoed around his mind:

_"Who's to say that you won't be the first to break the tradition?"_ Well that's quite a strong mind you have there, aren't you a difficult one? The hat's voice sounded amused at that, and Sirius was confused. Why would he be difficult? 

_Huh?_

_I can see you going to any house, let me think…_

Confusion swirled around him, _Any house?_

_Yes_

That seemed too good to be true. 

Sirius wasn't so sure about how accurate that was, despite the confirmation that hat gave. But then again, what did he know? The hat was an unbiased judge after all.

Still, despite his disbelief, at least this way he had a chance to escape the hell he was so sure he had been destined for, _Then please, not Slytherin. Anything but that!_

_Yes… I can see how that wouldn’t be the best fit for you._ Relief coursed through Sirius at that. 

Sure, he had only truly resolved not to be in Slytherin mere moments ago, but the dread he had been feeling was now gone. To hell with his family, they were never happy with him anyway. At least he was going to be comfortable during his time at Hogwarts. 

_Not Ravenclaw either._ The hat continued, but Sirius wasn't concerned. He didn’t care anymore, his fears had been vanquished. _You have a bright mind, but I'm not so sure that is where you would thrive. Hm…_

_Loyalty is clearly important to you, yet I'm not so sure… Yes. I have it now,_ Sirius perked up upon hearing that; now was the moment of truth. 

It was also the start of his separation from the Black's as he knew that he would never truly be welcomed home again. No matter what house he was about to be placed in, if it wasn't Slytherin, his family weren't interested. 

Strangely enough, that thought didn't even frighten him anymore. 

_You belong in-_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Yup.

He was definitely not welcome home.

Still, he found that he didn't care anymore. Even as he looked at the murderous faces of Narcissa and Lucius at the Slytherin table, he didn't feel much fear. Sure, he knew that Narcissa was likely composing a letter right this second to send to her much scarier sister, who in turn would spread the word to everyone even slightly connected to his family. 

But life at home had always been hell, and he couldn’t find it in himself to regret ensuring that his Hogwarts one would not follow in those footsteps. Especially since that although a few of his housemates looked a little wary with a Black sat at their table, most of them just looked amused at the unexpected turn of events. 

The first Gryffindor of the year being a Black? That was one for the history books.

"Evans, Lily," being called broke Sirius out of his musings. The sorting had been going at quite a fact fast pace, and they were already down to the 'E's. Evidently the time sat on the stool was much quicker than it appears to the person actually being sorted. 

That was probably a good thing too, as there were a ton of new students and the night was already rapidly progressing. Everyone was hungry, and if the sorting was to last more than 20 minutes, Sirius is sure there would be a riot from both new and returning students alike. 

He was curious where Lily would be sorted though. They had only met twice, and both instances had been too brief to really get a strong grasp on where she would go. He had an inkling that she too would have characteristics of every house, but couldn't deny the immense pleasure he felt when the hat finally called, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Maybe she would be a much greater player in his life than he had first suspected.

Sirius cheered with the rest of the Gryffindors, watching happily as Lily approached the table and sat down across from him. She smiled at him in greeting, before turning her attention to the rest of the sorting. Sirius found that he couldn't get overly invested though, the endless stream of names becoming quite tedious after a while. 

Still, he had manners and kept a polite gaze upon the rest of the new students. He wasn't paying any real attention, however, until McGonagall announced the name that he had been waiting for.

"Lupin, Remus."

* * *

Hearing his name being called caused a weird mix of nerves and relief to jumble up inside of him. On the one hand, soon everything would be over, but on the other, this was the moment of truth. 

Somehow, despite his legs feeling like jelly, he managed to make it up to the stool with no problems. He sat down quickly, not willing to test fate, and just before the hat was lowered over his eyes, he saw Sirius give him a thumbs up from his seat at the Gryffindor table.

For the briefest of moments there was nothing but silence, and Remus' heart plummeted with the thought that the hat would simply just refuse to sort him. His worry was quickly abated, however, as a calm voice soon filtered through his head.

_Hmm. I can see that you have a thirst for knowledge, so maybe…_

_Ravenclaw?_ Remus asked, a swell of disappointment coursed through him though he wasn't sure why. 

_No, maybe not then. Hm. You have a great amount of courage, that is very evident._

_Is it?_ Remus was sceptical, but a little bit of confidence did fill him with the knowledge that the hat was an impartial judge. 

_Yes. Great courage indeed._ The words were reassuring, yet the tone remained the same. _I can tell that you will find great company in-_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Both relief and confusion filled Remus as he made his way down to the Gryffindor table to join Sirius. 

His new friend looked proud and it filled Remus with warmth, though he couldn’t help but still wonder if a mistake has been made. He had been sure that the hat would simply refuse to sort him due to the wolf, but it didn't even mention it! 

Not only that, but he had never in a million years believed that he would have been sorted into Gryffindor. And especially not so quickly! 

Still, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he settled in to watch the rest of the sorting. He was curious to see who would be his new house-mates, though was no longer nervous. With Sirius by his side, he knew that he could deal with whoever gets sorted into his new dorm room. 

Quite a few go by, including a "McKinnon, Marlene" and a "Meadowes, Dorcas" into Gryffindor. There were still no new male Gryffindors, however, until…

"Pettigrew, Peter."

* * *

It felt like the floor had dropped out from under him.

Up until that moment, Peter had felt relatively calm. Even when they were in the store cupboard awaiting McGonagall's return and unaware of how they would be sorted, he had only felt the slightest of nerves. Those concerns were also quickly abated as soon as he held onto James. 

It was weird, he thought, usually he was a bundle of nerves and big changes scared him. But this evening had been different and he wasn't sure why. 

None of that mattered now though.

Now, his earlier expected nerves had come crashing in at full force and he was frozen. Peter couldn't force his legs to comply with his wishes and he could feel his heart pounding within his chest. The thousand gazes he could feel blaring down upon him kept his feet stuck in place.

What felt like hours but what in reality could have been no more than 10 seconds he stood still, unable to force his body forward. 

Then, a gentle nudge came from his back. 

Looking over his shoulder, he saw that it was James. The other boy gave him a reassuring smile, and nudged him forward once more. This time, the nudge caused him to stumble a little and when he glanced at James again, he was smirking at him. 

Peter glared at him, before making his way up to the hat. If James pushed him again he could fall over! That would be something he's sure he would never live down. 

It was only as he reached the hat when he realised that was James' plan all along. Make him so annoyed that he would forget his nerves for a second. 

A begrudging smile wormed its way onto his face at that, he could tell that James was definitely not going to make his time at Hogwarts one of peace. Peter couldn't find it in himself to be mad at that either.

If anything he was excited.

Before he could think on that any further, the darkness of the hat enveloped his senses. It was strangely comforting, so much so that he didn't even jump when the hat's voice materialised in his mind.

_Interesting. I can see you going a number of ways._

Resigned acceptance filled Peter as he heard this, _Hufflepuff?_

The hat chucked, the sound warm in his ear, _No, no. Not that one, I don't think that is quite your fit. Perhaps…?_

Confusion filled him, he would have thought he would've been dead-set for Hufflepuff, or at least be considered for it. To hear that though a number of houses suited him, Hufflepuff was not one of them made him wary of where this was going. _It'd better not be Slytherin…_

_No, maybe not._

Not Slytherin? Hope coursed through him, maybe he had a chance to be in the same house as James after all. Peter could feel his palms sweating as he awaited the verdict, _please, please, please…_

The hat chuckled again, _It'd better be-_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

* * *

A fond grin settles upon James' face as he watches Peter sit next to the McKinnon girl. 

He was vaguely aware of another girl sitting upon the stool awaiting her sorting, but all he could focus upon is keeping his breathing steady. 

He was happy for Peter, and knew that in all likelihood he would soon be joining him, but that didn’t stop the voice in his head telling him otherwise. James' knew that Peter's presence had been a sort of security blanket for him, but he hadn't realised just how far that had been true until this very moment.

It was a lot harder to be brave when you were standing on your own.

Luckily, through the haze that was his anxiety, he heard his name soon ring through the hall. 

"Potter, James."

_This will all be over soon_ He kept repeating to himself as he walked up to what felt like the guillotine. 

This no longer felt like a light-hearted sorting, but rather a judgement. 

_You just have to sit on a stool._ He tried to reassure himself, before as always the negative came crashing back in but much louder, _But what if you trip on the way up? What if you never get sorted? Maybe you don't belong here._

Still, locking eyes with Peter who gave him a thumbs up, he knew that he could do this. He was a Potter, and he would not be bullied by his own mind for something that was so simple. 

If only it were that easy.

But the stern self-talk did distract him for a moment, which was all he needed to make the final steps towards the stool and to sit down with some grace. 

He had made it, and no one could take that away from him. James just hoped that this wouldn't take too long, he could feel everyone's eyes on him and knew that for once, it wasn't even his brain making that up. They really were all staring, and that simple fact kept the earlier adrenaline coursing through his veins.

But he needn't have worried, for the hat barely brushed James' head before a loud "GRYFFINDOR" roared through the hall. It was something that the non-anxiety riddled part of him had expected, but he couldn't deny the fact that it felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest at the confirmation.

As he walked down to join Peter at the Gryffindor table to the sound of welcoming applause, he allowed a huge grin to spread over his face. It felt good to be included in something and to be welcomed so warmly.

In fact, it felt like home.

**Author's Note:**

> This will contain canon elements but won’t be canon compliant at all. I’ve basically chosen the stuff I like and am ignoring the rest- and even the stuff I choose to acknowledge from canon may happen in different years than they did originally.


End file.
